


She Is

by Cjgally



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-21 13:01:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15558279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cjgally/pseuds/Cjgally
Summary: I don't know where this is going. I just started writing. It's a college AU, no supernatural, modern day





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm editing this myself so no judge if I flop on some grammar or some punctuation, like always comments and suggestions welcomed.

August 1999  
She’s so smart, flipping through that ABC’s book with animal drawings and pronouncing a lot of it properly on her own, of course minus her toddler accent. She’s 3 and 3 quarters and she is already not safe. ‘I have to do this.’ Will thought to his 18-year-old self. He was going to college in a week and without him at home his sister would be all that’s left to be their mothers punching bag, physically and emotionally. He couldn’t protect her anymore, but he could do this.   
“And there is no other legal guardian?”  
“No. I’m all she has.” ‘had’ he corrected in his head.  
A folder of a fake death certificate of Lilita Morgan and the real one of Charles Morgan amongst other documents, some forged some not, all to place Carmilla in the orphanage.   
“She’ll get a good home, right?”  
“We’ll do our best. Most families look for babies but the younger she is the better chance of being adopted.” He swallowed nervously at that, ‘better than where she was’.  
“Willy?” Big brown eyes matching his stared up at him, one hand gripping the long black pea-coat the other gripping the book.   
“What is it kitty?” he asked while picking her up into his arms, so she was straddling the left side of his hip.  
“Whas this word?” Her short stubby finger aggressively poked the page.  
“That is a giraffe.” He smiled down at her bewildered face, finger tracing the outline of the animal.  
“But G makes ‘guh’ sound.” Her eyebrows were raised in amusement.  
“Well sometimes it makes ‘J’ sound, like gym, germs, and gentlemen.” She started giggling due to the relentless tickles of Wills hand when saying germs. A brief smile spreading across his face till the woman admitting Carmilla into orphanage was coming back with final documents. “why don’t you go practice your ABC’s by the books while I talk to the nice lady?” He said while putting the smiling child down.  
She was bounding back to the book shelves singing the ABC’s with gusto. She was relatively a shy and quiet child, but she loved singing. Always loud and proud, it was annoying after a while and occasionally got Will hit when told to shut her up by their mother, but she had a good voice and it was adorable.  
“Can I tuck her in one last time?” His eyes were pleading like his life was on death row.  
“I suppose but only cause the only spot open is an empty room.”   
“Thank you.”  
She was still singing the ABC’s while moving her head back and forth to the beat. Her wild black locks tied in pig tails swaying back and forth.   
“Hey kitty cat, you wanna go hit the hay?”  
“Mhm,” she began rubbing her eyes with her little fist. “Are we going home now?”  
Will picked her up and began walking up the steps to where her room was. “Well kitty, this is your new home.” He said placing her on the bed that had more springs than fluff to it, sitting on the edge and tucking the small child in.  
She looked and observed the near empty room. Just a bed, dresser, and night stand. “Where will you and mommy sleep?” She bunched her face up in confusion, staring up at the tall teenager. He couldn’t look at those eyes of innocence and hope and tell her what was actually going on. So, he told a bit of a white lie.  
“Well kitty cat, mommy is going in a time out, but for adults, so you won’t see her for a while. I’m going to go sleep at college and when you’re my age you can go sleep there too.”  
“What’s college?”  
“College is where big kids go so they can get really smart and take care of little rascals like you.” He said tickling her again.   
“Can I go to college?” She asked as the fit of giggles died down and she yawned settling into the creaking bed.   
“If you study really really really hard in school, then yes, someday.”  
“That was a lot of reallys”   
“Yes it was.” He said kissing her on the forehead.  
“Story time?” She asked with hopeful eyes.  
“Anything for you kitty.” He began stroking the little girl’s dark locks as she curled up a bit more for warmth and stared up with eager brown eyes. “Once upon a time there was a princess. Her name was Carmilla Morgan.”  
“That’s me!” She began giggling.  
“Well don’t you pick up fast?” He laughed “But remember what we talked about?” He asked giving her his serious face.  
“Mhm, my real name is Carmilla Karnstein.” She said struggling with her ‘R’s.  
“Good girl” He ruffled her hair a bit, “All was well in the kingdom of.. uhh, Cambridge, yeah Cambridge. However, the king was called away to protect the land of Cambridge and keep his little princess and prince safe.”  
“Are you Daddy’s prince?”  
“Yeah baby girl. I am. Anyways he fought so bravely and so fiercely that the gods called him to heaven to help them fight.”  
“Like Hercules?”  
“You are too smart kitty,” he said thoroughly enjoying the smug look on the little girl’s face, a trait she picked up from him. “Anyways, without the king a plague hit the land!”  
“Oh no!” She gasped.  
“The prince tried to protect the princess but the only way to do that was to travel to another land, far away to find a cure. In turn he left her in the hands of a nearby kingdom’s village, so the nasty plague wouldn’t find her.” He made a zombie gargling sound when he said plague trying to make this story as vivid as possible. “She grew up to be the most beautiful woman in all the land and was extremely smart too. So smart that she joined the prince and together, they made the medicine and cured the land and..”  
“They lived happily ever after!” She smiled “Why wasn’t mommy in the story?”  
“She was.” He said quietly looking away. Carmilla not really understanding.  
“Can you sing Willy?” the child asked already grumbly and half asleep now.  
“Of course, kitty.” He proceeded to sing Edelweiss from the sound of music. His father would sing it to him before he went on tours. She was fast asleep by the end of the song.  
He sat on the edge of her bed for a while just stroking her soft black hair. “I love you Carmilla.. please don’t forget me.”  
He got up as slowly and quietly as he could, emptied the small suitcase of tiny shirts, socks, and pants. Humming and quietly singing the song the girl always sang.  
“A, B, C, D, E, F, G,  
H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P  
Q, R, S, T, U, V,  
W, X, Y, and Z.”  
He took his worn dark red Harvard ball cap off, an item given to him from a stranger on his class trip to the school in the 7th grade and placed it on her nightside then crept out the door slow.   
” Now we know our ABC’s,   
next time you sing this..  
it won’t be with me..” He sniffled and wiped his eyes.   
“I’m so sorry.” He whispered into the room of quiet slow breathing. Taking one last look at his last family member peacefully sleeping. Clinging to the worn stuffed black cat her father bought her when she was born. She’s ignorant to all that is happening, and he is praying she’ll never find out the reality that is their mother. The darkness hasn’t touched her, and she has a chance.  
She is hope,  
she is innocence,  
And she is so young.


	2. Chapter 2

August 2011  
‘It’s a good day for rain’ she thought as they lowered the shiny mahogany casket into the plot. A hedge stone at the top engraved ‘Jordan Hall 1930-2011, Friend and Mother’. Carmilla knew she was much more than that though. Mrs. Hall saved Carmilla from the hell that was the ‘system’. Carmilla was getting put back in the system at age 12 due to a corrupt home being exposed when Mrs. Hall had found her.  
She moved her to Toronto with her where they lived in a gracious sized home on the outskirts of the city. Mrs. Hall was more than well off and provided all the right schooling and extracurricular classes to help Carmilla achieve her dream, attend Harvard University. From fine dining etiquette to French class. Life wasn’t so bad anymore, in fact Carmilla began to enjoy her life with Mrs. Hall instead of counting the days to her 18th birthday.   
It was a large turn out, and as the eulogy and speeches went on the more real everything was feeling. The death wasn’t a surprise and it was peaceful, in her sleep. Not so peaceful to the 17-year-old Carmilla to find her corpse when coming in to give her, her morning tea and meds.  
She stood there downed in black which was what she wore on a day to day basis, but she put on a dress this time and black brim hat that hung low, so no one could see her eyes, no one could understand.  
She had no memory of getting in the black Buick that drove her back home. She now floated around like a ghost, room through room, running her fingers over everything that would go untouched by Mrs. Hall, from medicine bottles to a book that was marked, page 53. A mini herb garden on the kitchen window sill, a glossy wooden cane by the door and the sun hat on the rack, most likely now awaiting to be donated to a thrift shop. A jigsaw puzzle in the sun room 3 quarters of the way done. ‘Perhaps she never planned on finishing it’ Carmilla thought as she held a piece that helped form the house in the photo. ‘Maybe she didn’t and if so what else was left unfinished in her life? Was she just killing time with mindless task awaiting the inevitable?’   
Carmilla was pulled from her thoughts as she heard the butler speaking with the lawyers over Mrs. Hall’s will and of course, what to do with her. Much like the sun hat most likely be donated into the system. However, maybe not.  
“She has less than a year till she is 18! She will not be going back to the states! She will stay here, her home!”  
“And who will look after her? The paper work is so extensive that the adoption wouldn’t be processed till she is 18 anyways.” The lawyer stayed calm.  
“She is now the rightful owner of this home!” That made Carmilla’s ear perk up extremely quick. Mrs. Hall didn’t speak of family, it was too hard for her, a trait her and Carmilla shared even though they weren’t biologically related. Her children and husband had all met untimely deaths due to various things and diseases. It made sense that Carmilla would be left with everything.   
“She is only 17, not old enough to live on her own, let alone own a house.”  
“She won’t be alone, I will take care of her! Please..” Her fits of anger broke into pleading, desperation. “You have no idea what she has been through, please.” Mrs. Perry relaxed, recognizing that she had gotten through the callous lawyer.   
“Alright I’ll try what I can.”  
“Thank you.”  
She heard the scooting of chairs and sounds of goodbyes. She was out back looking at the rose garden. ‘Who will help you grow now?’  
“Carmilla.” It was Perry. No doubt coming to tell her the good news, heaven knows she needed some now. “Their going to see and make sure they do everything they can so that you don’t go back.”  
“Thank you, Perry.” The silence that followed was thick with apprehension. Perry knew better than to try and get Carmilla to talk about things.   
“I’m going to go start dinner” she only received a nod.  
Carmilla went to pluck a white rose, in the process cutting a finger open enough for blood to bead a bit along the line. She sat criss-cross on the ground contemplating the rose and recent events. It was so quiet she could convince herself she was deaf. ‘Better get used to it.’

Time passed slow but before she knew it she was walking to school in her black boots, jeans, white t-shirt and always, her Harvard baseball cap. She doesn’t exactly remember how she got it but she adores the item since its been the only constant in her life since she could remember. It was her symbol of hope that maybe one day things could be better.   
“Hey Carmilla!” It was her best friend running after her in the halls. “Hey slow down.” She put her hand on Carmilla’s shoulder jolting herself forward, so they could walk side by side.   
“Ell I don’t want to talk about.” Carmilla continued to trudge forward to her first class. Ell wasn’t having it though and pulled her into a tight hug, her arms felt like a python’s grip around the short teen.  
“You don’t have to.” Carmilla gave her a small smile as they continued their walk. “Sooo, whats your schedule this year, all honors an AP classes again?”  
“Yeup.”  
“Still trying to get into Harvard huh?”  
“Mhm.”  
Ell sighed. Carmilla wasn’t a talkative person but one-word responses?!  
“The musical this year is going to be The Sound of Music.. are you going to audition?”  
“I always do.”  
“And you always get the role you want.” Carmilla just nodded her head.  
“Look I’m sorry Ell, I just really uhm, don’t feel like small talk. This summer put some things into perspective for me and I just want focus on school.”  
“I get it.” Ell looked down a little disappointed. Carmilla gently grabbed her chin raising her head to look at her directly at the blue pool her eyes are.   
“S.A.T prep after school?” Carmilla asked trying to ease the tension she was causing. She didn’t like seeing Ell sad or uncomfortable, she loved her after all.  
“Of course.” Ell kissed her on the cheek and then a brief peck on the lips before heading to class.

After school and after their make out session at Ells house they finally started studying.  
“So when do you think you’ll take your test?” Ell asked after they had gotten a quarter of the way through the English text.  
“I was thinking November so if I mess up I can retake.”  
“Sounds good, I think I’ll do the same.” They smiled at each other and got back to work.  
“So who are you going to try out for this year?”  
“mm probably Liesl, I really enjoy the song Edelweiss.”  
“You would sing that so beautifully!”   
“Thanks babe,” they shared a kiss and before they knew it curfew was upon them and Carmilla was out the door but not before she lost the courage.  
They stood on the porch, the fairy lights and porch lights turning on so they could see.   
“Ell I love you.” Ell giggled, she already knew that but Carmilla had a serious face on. “You give me a reason to smile and now my only reason to love. Before you I had never known what a functional relationship was like and you’ve taught me so much..”  
“Carmilla? Are you proposing?”  
“No, god no! Sorry not god no because one day yes I do want to share forever with you” she wanted throw up at the use of the word forever. As gooey as Ell made her feel, she was still her own person to put it kindly. She grabbed the blue velvet box and held out a ring. “It’s a promise ring. No matter where we end up, I will support you and love you and tell you how much I love your blue eyes and when that isn’t enough I’ll create new words to describe my love for you. Ell will you wear my ring?”  
Ell was crying at this point, silent happy tears. “Of course.” They shared a slow passionate kiss till Ell’s parents called her back inside. She slumped against the door an adoring smile on her face as she stared at the small rock that sparkled upon angling it different ways.  
She is the love of her life,  
But she is young,  
And she is a fool.


	3. Chapter 3

January 2012  
“You open mine and I’ll open yours?”  
“Deal.”  
Ell and Carmilla sat on Carmilla’s bedroom floor with their S.A.T. score envelops in hand. They both took a deep breath and then started ripping away. Ell instantly putting a hand over her mouth and gasping.  
“Oh god, did I fail?” Carmilla asked readying herself for disappointment.   
“2250.” Carmilla’s eyes practically fell out of her head before they started to well up in joy. ‘I did it’ she thought to herself. She looked down at Ells ‘that can’t be right.’ She thought.  
“1400.” Both didn’t know what to feel. Excitement and sadness was an odd combination. “You can re-take! I’ll help you study, babe I won’t give up on you.” Ell was already shaking her head. “C’mon you were only 70 points away from the 25th percentile.” She took Ells hand, eyes still so full of hope but it would be clear to anyone else watching the scene Ell was defeated.   
“I can’t do it! I studied just as much as you, you know that.”   
“Okay well there’s plenty of schools around the area that you can definitely get into with that score, we will be just fine.”  
“Carmilla, I think I’m gonna go home.” Ell got up and without another word left, leaving a lost Carmilla.  
‘What just happened?’ she thought to herself then looking at the envelopes that held their futures.   
“PERRY!” She hustled down stairs practically falling most the way. “Perry?”  
“In the kitchen.” Perry was stood over the sink wearing green rubber gloves cleaning raspberries.  
“Look.” Carmilla gave a smug smile holding her SAT score out to the frizzy redhead.  
“You got in!”   
“I did!” Perry nearly ripped her gloves off to embrace the ecstatic teenager.   
“Y’know what, I’m making your favorite, steaks practically still alive and fries are on the menu! Call Eleanor, she can come tonight as well.”  
“Uhm Ell just left actually, but I’ll text her.”   
Carmilla (5:34) : Hey Perry is making steak and fries if you want to come back.  
“No Eleanor?” Perry asked about an hour later while setting the table, Carmilla sitting on the counter top watching.  
“No, homework probably..” That was an obvious lie.  
“Sooo your birthday is coming up..” Perry began but earned a cutting glare.  
“I don’t want to do anything.” She said quickly.  
“Fine. One of these days though you’re having a birthday party, you need at least one in your life.” She said with finality.  
Ell (8:29): Not in the mood to go out.  
“Little late anyways” Carmilla said to the empty room, the only light in the dark room coming from her laptop screen, some word documents open as she typed her Harvard application.  
Ells cold shoulder continued for the next two months, even on Carmilla’s birthday she spoke in short sentences and didn’t reciprocate kisses with as much enthusiasm. Carmilla was accepted to Harvard and in almost 2 months they’d be graduated. They were on a drive in the hills listening to music in the 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS, a gift from Mrs. Hall, specifically stated for her 18th birthday. It was a gloss black with two white stripes going down the middle. Carmilla about had a heart attack from sheer excitement, Perry from when Carmilla dragged her to an abandoned lot and started whipping donuts and reenacting some fast and furious scenes. Her life was back on track and   
“I’ve been thinking.” Ell said as ‘All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye’ came on. “With the score you got, you can easily transfer to Styria with me for school once we graduate.”  
Carmilla laughed a bit thinking she was joking. “Yeah babe okay, let me throw my dream school away for some college out in Europe.”  
“Well what are we gonna do?” Her voice was harsh and defensive now.   
“Wait... you’re serious?” Carmilla quickly looked at her and then back at the road, entering a particularly tight bend, the hills slowly turning into mountains. Ell just nodded, jaw clenched. “Ell, I’ve worked my whole life to get into Harvard, it literally has been my dream since I can remember.”  
“So then what am I Carmilla?” Ell crossed her arms and gave her an expectant look. “What does this ring mean to you?” She said holding her hand out with promise ring on it.  
“Hold up, so you rather me travel all the way to Europe and push my dream aside to go to some 2nd rate college out there, that I’ve never even heard of till you told me about it, so we can stay together?” Carmilla asked in an absurd tone.   
“Do you not love me enough to fight for us. I couldn’t get into Harvard, but you can get into Silas, we can go together!”   
“Do you not love me enough to support my dream” Ell stayed silent. “Ell do you not..” she swallowed the dry lump in her throat. “I know you’ve been distant lately, but I thought it was cause you were upset about doing long distance with me and..” she could hardly speak now, with each silent passing second she could feel her throat get tighter, tears began to fill the bottom edge of her eyes. She wiped them furiously hoping none would fall.  
“I thought you were too self-absorbed and busy with Harvard to notice.” Carmilla scoffed at that “What is so special about this stupid school anyways!” Ell said ripping the ball cap off Carmilla’s head.  
“Give it back Ell.” There was an underlying hostility in her voice, like a dog growling for their bone.  
“No, tell me what is so special about this place?” She was slapping the hat on the dashboard with each word for emphasis.   
“I’ve worked my whole life to get there! I have struggled my entire life. Now life is finally giving me a break! I earned my place.” Carmilla kept trying to grab the hat back with one arm on the wheel the other reaching. Each time Ell would pull it back.  
“So where do I fit in your life than? If you don’t love me enough to fight for us then... we shouldn’t be together at all.”  
“Ell no, stop this. Please.”  
“Carmilla, you are choosing a place over me. I need someone who wants to be with me physically and emotionally.” She sighed when Carmilla just stared at the road in silence, “When we graduate, I’m leaving. Toronto, and you.”  
“No, no, no,” She slurred quickly “Ell I love you, I don’t care about the distance,”   
“Carmilla,” Ell tried to soothe the girl who was now profusely crying and wiping at her eyes.  
“Do You Care that much about the distance?”  
“Carmilla..” Ell said her voice was eerie, a tone of warning. The car was speeding up but Carmilla was too distracted to notice.   
“I only want you, I don’t want to meet new people!” Carmilla turned to look at Ell but Ell was focused on the upcoming bend they were approaching fast, too fast.  
“CARMILLA!” That snapped the teenager’s attention as she whipped the turn too hard.  
But not soon enough.  
The car broke over the barrier and began rolling down into the ravine. Twisting metal, shattered glass looking weightless as the car kept rolling and bouncing down the hill. The car was putty in a toddler’s hand to this mountain.  
Her vision was fuzzy. ‘Am I upside down?’ Her eyes focused a bit more. Her worn Harvard cap was on the ceiling along with shattered glass and various contents that were in the glove box. ‘Wait a minute.’  
“ELL! Oh god, oh god, oh god NO!” The women she loved was hanging limply, hands drooped on the ceiling. A river of red flowing down her arms creating a pool of blood underneath her.  
“Eleanor! Answer me god dammit” She reached for her own buckle and undid it, falling harshly onto the glass shards. She began to feel sharp pains as she tried crawl over to Ell. She continued to scream out in pain till she finally was able to grab Ells face and hands. “Ell baby wake up” she said weakly, her voice now losing its volume. “Somebody Help!” She continued to scream and shake Ell till her own vision darkened and until there was nothing.


	4. Chapter 4

September 2013  
(((((“We need an ambulance! Please!” She could hear her father’s voice strained and scared. She was in and out of consciousness, her mother in the seat ahead of her, unmoving.  
She was moving. Someone was moving her. An angel. No. A brunette-haired woman in a dark blue paramedic uniform was asking her questions.  
“Don’t worry darling were going to clean you right up.” Her head hurt as she listened to the woman’s words.  
“Where’s my mommy and daddy?” Her voice was small and high pitched from the threat of crying. When she looked up she saw some men lift her mothers body and put it in a black bag. “Mommy? Where are they taking her?”  
“MOMMY!” ))))) “Laura! Laura! Wake up!”  
“Huh,” She flew up in her bed.  
“You were hyperventilating. Freaked me out.”  
“Sorry Bets, I didn’t mean to freak you out.” In the process of getting up to get water her notebook and textbook fell to the floor.  
“What were you dreaming of?” She asked sitting on her bed and continuing her late-night study session.  
“Just uh..” It wasn’t a dream though, it was a memory. “Finals. And I failed.”  
“Huh, alright.”  
She laid down trying to let sleep over come her but the fear of re-seeing the memory made it rather difficult. This resulted in Betty saying Laura owed her for keeping her up with all the ruckus she made tossing and turning. They came upon the agreement that Laura would accompany her to go see a speaker the school was having.  
He had graduated from Harvard about 11 years ago and was a medical researcher of psychology. Betty trying to become a lawyer thought it might be nice to learn a bit about psychology to understand her victims better. Even though he was going to be teaching a class this spring semester she wasn’t that intrigued to pay the price for the class.  
“Alright if I’m going to this with you I want hot coco.” Laura stated as she crossed her arms and pouted. She was going for a journalism degree and this talk would be completely irrelevant for her.  
“Deal. How does Crema Café sound?”  
“Perfect!” Laura beamed as they made their way to the shop.  
They were in the middle of a heated conversation about what ideas are categorized as Terf ideals and a feminist when Laura’s attention was caught by an extremely tall red head in the corner. It was Danny, her lit T.A, with a pencil being chewed on as she typed and kept looking back and forth at a book next her. Laura was in a trance and didn’t have time to react and stop her feet from moving.  
She slammed right into someone spilling her hot coco on some poor soul.  
“You’ve got be fucking kidding me.” Her voice was raspy with anger.  
“Oh, shoot I’m so sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Laura’s words came out fast and muddled as she grabbed some napkins to wipe the girl’s shirt down a bit, continually chanting ‘I’m sorry’.  
“Obviously you weren’t watching dimwit.” The woman said as she started to peel her leather jacker off that was dripping coco, now standing in a white tank top, well coco stained now. As bad as Laura felt the comment did piss her off. After all, accidents happen. She shook her head at herself to stop from saying any more comments. “Uhm, usually people buy me dinner before grabbing there.”  
Laura looked at where she was patting the napkins, her face turning the same shade as the school colors. “I-I-I’m so sorry.” She pulled away quickly then handed the rest of the bunch of napkins to the girl.  
“Don’t hurt yourself, there are worst things than getting felt up by a cute girl,” the woman was smirking at her now and Laura decided she should probably just crawl in a hole and never leave it. When she stepped back to get a better look at the woman she was ready to move out of the country. ‘Great I spilled hot coco on a supermodel’.  
“Laura we got to go.”  
“Okay Betty.”  
“Look I really am sorry I can buy you a new tank top my name,”  
“C’mon!” Betty grabbed Laura’s arm and yanked her out the door before she could finish.  
They arrived at the lecture hall and took seats in the middle row right in time for the professor to come in.  
“Hello everyone, my name is William Morgan and were going to be discussing the effects addiction has on actions.” The tall man continued with his lecture and everyone respectfully gave him their attention. Everyone but Laura.  
She couldn’t stop feeling bad about what had just happened and not being able to make it up to the woman. And the woman oh god she was gorgeous, still didn’t give her a right to be rude, she did apologize and offer to replace her shirt. Laura was really regretting not getting her number to replace the shirt because how often do you meet someone insanely gorgeous and they flirt with you? ‘That was flirting right?’  
Laura second guessed her well-being as everyone clapped and started to pack up their stuff. ‘oh god the lectures over?!’ She managed to think about a stranger for an hour and a half. ‘Just Great.’  
“Hey Brain hottie, little nerd hottie.”  
“Kirsch.” Laura warned. “We discussed those terms, and what are you doing on campus?”  
“Sorry,” He said scratching the back of his neck. “and I’ll go here eventually, for now I’m content with JC.” He smiled.  
“What’s the word Kirsch?” Betty asked as he began to walk with them.  
“There’s a party this Friday, figured you two could use some uh loosening up from the preppy life.”  
“Just because we go to Harvard doesn’t make us preps.” Betty defended.  
“Dude you’re gonna be a fancy lawyer, sounds preppy to me.”  
“Okay were going to get you a dictionary for Christmas this year.” Laura said jokingly.  
“Nah that’s okay, they have free ones in the library.” Betty and Laura rolled their eyes. “So, Friday? Yeah? Free booze and I’ll pick you guys up.” It would be like taking a tennis ball from puppy golden retriever to say no.  
“Free booze, I’m in. Besides I think Laura could use something to keep her mind off a certain mmm Lit T.A.” Betty said smirking down at Laura causing a bright blush to form.  
“Fine, I’ll go. But only if you guys help pass out fliers with me at the women rights campaign next week.” She said crossing her arms triumphantly.  
“Dude, I’m totally a feminist! I love women! Of course I’ll be there.”  
“What kind of lawyer doesn’t participate in at least one rights campaign?”  
“Yes!” A glimpse of red hair caught her eyes. “Alright, I’m going to Literature, bye!”  
She ran fast to catch up to Danny. If she could walk with her to class she could commence step 2 and invite Danny to the party. They already did step 1, small talk, which is how Laura got involved with the women’s right campaign. Summer society was hosting it in the main quad and Laura couldn’t have Volunteered quicker to help.  
“Hey Danny.”  
“Hey Laura,” She said enthusiastically, looking down to meet Laura’s eyes. “No coffee on your shirt?”  
“Huh? Oh, that was hot coco and... wait, you saw that?” She looked embarrassed, so Danny tried to help her out.  
“Yeah, but y’know what, I’ve been wanting to dump something on Karnstein for a while now.” She chuckled but Laura was taken back by the comment.  
“Why would you say that? She didn’t seem that bad, a little rude but not enough to intentionally hurt or embarrass.” Laura was frowning, and Danny was internally cursing herself now.  
“Oh, it’s just, Carmilla and I have never gotten along.”  
“She isn’t a first year?” She looked so young though.  
“No, we had ENG 001 together freshmen year. She was always really rude and arrogant, honestly she had something like that coming. Like Karma used your hot coco, y’know?”  
“I guess, I did really want to drink my cocoa though.” Laura said pouting.  
“How about I’ll buy you another? Say after the campaign next month?” Danny was looking shy which was more than odd since she seemed so confident all the time.  
“Uh, Yeah!” Laura squeaked in surprise “better get to my desk and oh! There’s a party this Friday.. did you, if you don’t have anything, I mean it’s one of the JC parties and I promised my friends Betty and..”  
“Laura, I’ll go.”  
“Great!” ‘Score 1 for Laura Hollis!’  
As she sat in Literature her mind back tracked and wound 100 miles per an hour ‘A date with Danny! Well kind of date? She said yes and asked me out to coco but what was with her thing with that girl from the coffee shop, Karnstein?’ Kind of messed up to want to hurt someone with hot coco but she didn’t know what type of person she was, and she was rude at first, maybe she did deserve it? ‘But I didn’t deserve to have my coco wasted.’  
She’s confused  
She was eager,  
She is nervous.


End file.
